Christmas in One Simple, Staggering Truth

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

Christmas is distracting. Or can be. The food, family, travel, decor, and endless ads alluring us to buy endless gifts, are all vying for our attention. And then there’s Santa. The morality-man who the God-man has to share his birthday with. Then there’s us, the ones who’ve allowed Santa to hijack the narrative with his goodness-equals-presents gospel, all the while Jesus lays in a nativity embodying the true good news of great joy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is intentional. I’m just saying it’s hard to keep it all straight. But trust me, keeping it straight is worth the effort, and affects your eternity.

C.S. Lewis said the incarnation is the greatest miracle in the world. It’s greater than all the others because if God really came into the world then of course He could heal the sick, calm the storm, and raise the dead. If God really came to us, then anything is possible.

What if this Christmas, in the midst of all the distractions, we fixed our eyes on that one simple life-giving truth? What if we allowed that truth to bring meaning to all the festivities?

Here’s the staggering story of Christmas in four words: God came to us.

God to us. God in flesh. God among us. That’s the meaning of the manger in Nazareth.

But did you catch that first part? God to us. Not us to God.

Scripture makes it plain: God came to us because we could not go to God on our own. We would not choose to go to God even if we could. And worse still, we had an unpayable debt towards God, a debt we inflicted, and a debt that inflicted back eternal separation.

But God, being rich in mercy, had great love towards us, and couldn’t imagine leaving a hopelessly sinful people in eternal darkness. So, He did the unimaginable. He came to us. In humility and kindness, the God-man Jesus Christ lowered himself, and the author of the story entered the story.

Jesus stepped into the world He created and like He did before the world began, spoke into the darkness, “Let there be light.”

As we celebrate Christmas, remember and be stirred up by the truth: while we were still sinners, GOD CAME TO US. At some point today, sit in the truth that God came to you. In your sin, darkness, brokenness, and rebellion, God came to you and revealed himself as Lord. Yes we responded, but He initiated. Praise God He initiated.

If God was willing to come to us, and bring with Him good news of great joy, then we can believe God’s promises that He is for us and He is with us.

Christmas means: God came to us. God is for us. God is with us. Thank God. Praise God. Glory to God.

Believe it.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)